South Fayette discusses sprinkler system cost

By Deana Carpenter

Staff writer

dcarpenter@observer-reporter.com

At the direction of the South Fayette School Board of Directors, Bob Naugle of Eckles Architecture presented information Aug. 27 on how much it could cost to add a sprinkler system to the athletic field at the intermediate school.

The size of the athletic field is 186 feet by 390 feet, which is a larger than the 180 feet by 360 feet field originally designed for the school. According to Naugle, the field is similar to one under construction in the Moon School District. The cost to add a sprinkler system to that field was $26,983 plus an additional $21,500 to add water lines. The Moon School District did the electrical work on the field.

The estimates to install electric and water lines at a similar field at Westmoreland County Community College were between $16,000 and $18,000. Eagle Irrigation submitted the estimate.

Naugle said the district should expect to pay about $48,000 to add the sprinkler system to the field. He advised that if the board moves forward with adding the sprinkler system that it should be done by change order.

He told the board “time is of the essence” because it is nearing the season when the field needs to be seeded. He said he hopes to have “definitive” numbers to the board and administrators by next week. The earliest the board could take action on adding the sprinkler system is at its Sept. 17 meeting.

Teacher hired

Also at the meeting, the board approved the hiring of a new German teacher at the middle school. The vote was 6-1 to hire Amy Minnetti at a salary of $56,509, prorated, with a start date to be determined. Minnetti was hired to fill a vacancy left by former German teacher Timothy Toomey, who resigned.

Board member Alan Vezzi voted against the hiring and board members Leonard Fornella and Bill Newcomer abstained.

Fornella stated he abstained because he thought another finalist for the position should have been hired based upon his/her qualifications. He said he was “disappointed” in the administrative process regarding the hiring of the new teacher. He said the other candidate was a former South Fayette valedictorian and college salutatorian.

Fornella added his abstention was “not intended to reflect negatively on the recommended candidate,” but was his “personal opinion.” Newcomer said he abstained for similar reasons.

It could be 60 days before Minnetti starts her new position, but Superintendent Dr. Bille Rondinelli stated that a substitute teacher with a German certification will be installed in the position until Minnetti starts.

Other business

Rondinelli told the board the total enrollment in the district now stands at 2,777 students. She said she spoke with demographer Dr. Shelby Stewman about updating the demographic study he did on the district in 2011. Rondinelli said she is waiting on hearing back from him regarding the cost to update the study and will provide that to the board once she receives it. She said if the district moves forward with the study, the updated numbers could be done by January.

Also, the board voted unanimously to approve several change orders for the intermediate school project, including $5,124 to furnish and install three overflow scuppers on the roof and $3,918 to provide access control to a door at the school.